Trance
by C-chan96
Summary: Sometimes no matter how much you want something, it doesn't work the way you planned. Especially when you're in love with an unreachable friend named Julie. [Charlie Angst] [One-Shot]


With my luck, this has probably already been done numerous times in several different ways for several different characters...There's just no telling. It randomly popped into my head while skimming over and doing the final editing of Chapter 61 of "Shattered Glass," and I decided "What the heck? Why not. Might as well." Thus, this little one-shot was born. Tada.  
  
Disclaimer- I don't own the Mighty Ducks...but I wish I owned Charlie... ::stares off into space with a goofy smile::  
  
[Charlie's POV]  
  
I watch her move gracefully in the net, her fluid movements seeming to hold me in a trance as Coach Orion yells out orders to those on the ice. She blocks every shot. Stops every puck. Saves every goal.  
  
I know I should be watching the game, but I can't seem to pry my eyes away. She's just an interesting person to watch. Her eyes dart around, following the small black puck as it swishes across the ice, coming into the possesion of many different players. She never takes her eyes off of it...not even for a second.  
  
My stare isn't broken as Coach yells "Change it up!" and several of my teammates pile on to the bench and begin watching the game intently. I didn't hear my name, so I don't have to worry.  
  
Fulton waves his hand in front of my face, but I don't acknowledge him. I'm kind of busy at the moment.  
  
It seems as though my thoughts wander again...It's not something I can really control. I try to stay focused on the game, but it just doesn't work. No matter how much work I put into ignoring it, it won't go away. What happened to_ concentrating_ on the sole thing that will likely get me into college? It's not like we're rolling in the dough. I need to pay attention.  
  
But I can't.  
  
I shake my head, hoping that will get her out of my thoughts...out of my mind.  
  
It doesn't work.  
  
It never does.  
  
My eyebrows furrow, and I submit to simply watching her again. It isn't like anyone will care; the puck is down near our net anyway, so everyone else is watching too.  
  
But I'm not just watching...I'm watching her.  
  
I'm not even sure when it started...It's not as if I randomly woke up one day and was suddenly fascinated with her. That would just...well...not be true. It seemed to happen over time. I know that Adam had a crush on her during the Junior Goodwill Games, but he got over that pretty quick. He's moved on. Me? Well I just can't seem to do that.  
  
Everything about her just amazes me. Her strong will, her intelligence, her compassaion towards other people...She's just so...perfect.  
  
But she doesn't think anything more of my than my simple status as captain. I'm nothing more to her than the leader of the pack. A teammate. A friend. Nothing more.  
  
I've come to try and accept that. I refuse to make a move on her, no matter what. She's dating Scooter, and I respect her choice. I could never do anything to make her betray anyone...even a jerk like Scooter.  
  
I might be a little biased, but I don't think he deserves her.  
  
The only thing that gets me is why she is still with him...They broke up at the end of freshman year, but then got back together at the beginning of this year. Our junior year. He's off at Harvard getting a law degree, likely following in his daddy's footsteps, but whenever he comes back to visit her, he treats her like he's the king and should be treated as such. He treats her like a toy; something he can play with while he's here and then toss away whenever he's bored or she inconviniences him.  
  
It sickens me.  
  
Everytime he visits, she cheers up and seems to walk on air, and that's the only thing that I can be happy about. I want her to be happy; I just wish it wasn't with him.  
  
I've tried telling her that maybe her relationship with Scooter isn't everything she thinks it is, but that only makes her laugh it off and smile. She tells me that I'm being paranoid and that she's fine. She's happy.  
  
So I leave it at that.  
  
What else can I say?  
  
Oh yes, Julie, by the way, I'm harboring feelings for you so you should break up with your college boyfriend and drop everything for me!  
  
Or not.  
  
So I just continue to keep it to myself. I'm a relatively strong person myself, and I have no problem keeping it inside. If it were any other girl, I'd go for it. But Julie? No. Julie's something special. I could never take that kind of gamble with her. I could never take that kind of chance.  
  
She would probably laugh...think it was a joke. I know that she wouldn't mean it to be spiteful, but that doesn't mean it wouldn't happen. I simply am not the kind of person she would think would like her. After the whole fiasco with Linda, I didn't date for awhile; but when I did, it was mostly Portman's doing. He would pick her, I'd date her for awhile and then realize we had nothing in common so we'd break up again. It really wasn't a productive system.  
  
She was never Julie.  
  
My eyes flicked over the ice but trailed back to Julie. The buzzer rang, ending the third period. We had won. No big surprise.  
  
I saw her skate over towards us, but she turned a little and skated over to a gate leading to the people in the stands. I saw Scooter lean down and pull her into a hug, flipping up her mask and giving her a kiss.  
  
My insides twisted as I frowned, forcing myself to pry my eyes away. It wasn't fair. It simply wasn't fair.  
  
"Hey Charlie...you okay?" Fulton asked me when he realized I wasn't celebrating with everyone else.  
  
My eyes flittered over towards Julie and Scooter for a split-second before I looked at Fulton. "Yeah...yeah, I'm fine."  
  
I looked down at my helmet that lay abandoned on the floor, and I picked it up.  
  
I will just have to get used to them. It's as simple as that.  
  
Whenever I get upset, she's my happy feeling. I'm just going to need to learn to let that be enough. I need to make that be okay. Chances are it'll never be more than what it is now, so getting my hopes up and wishing for more won't help me. It'll only make it worse.  
  
So the simple act of being in love will have to be be enough. 


End file.
